Total pages in book: 177
Estimated words: 176345 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 882(@200wpm)___ 705(@250wpm)___ 588(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 176345 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 882(@200wpm)___ 705(@250wpm)___ 588(@300wpm)
“Not that badly,” I reply.
“Alistair told me you got drugged,” he says.
I nod, tucking my hair behind my ear. “They tried to subdue me. To make it easier for them to sell me.” I tap my feet around, uncomfortable that I have to talk about this with my brother. “And Crystal.”
“I’m sorry about that. I’ll get my guys to scour the area around the compound in search for clues to her whereabouts. She’s our friend too, so I’m not gonna let them get away with this.”
“Thank you,” I reply. “I appreciate that.”
He shakes his head. “I know it’s not enough. If I’d known—”
“It’s not your fault.” I interrupt. “She would’ve never been taken in the first place if I hadn’t …” I gulp away the fear. “If I’d just told everyone I love the truth.”
“That picture?” he asks, his jaw tensing.
A blush creeps onto my cheeks.
His fist balls. “Did those fuckers force you to do it?”
I shake my head. “We had a deal. I’d give myself to them in exchange for them to keep quiet about my … other cravings.”
“A deal …” He squints. “What other cravings?”
“That body you saw in the photo wasn’t their kill,” I explain. “It was mine.”
He swallows, visibly worried, and it makes me avert my eyes.
“I… kill people.”
“Like what, daily?”
I don’t like the judgment, but he’s already seen me holding someone’s head in my hands. What point is it to lie?
“No. Just when I feel like I need to.”
His eyes twitch. “Random people.”
“No, mostly predators I find online,” I reply.
He frowns. “How long has this been going on?”
“Years.”
God, it feels like I’m opening a very old wound.
“Why?”
I draw in a breath, unable to look him in the eyes. “Because … it hurt to watch you suffer. To see Mother in your bed.”
His whole body tightens when I mention her, and it unravels my heart.
“I keep seeing it over and over while I sleep, every nightmare waking me up to the point where I just want to kill people who try to do the same to others.”
He just stares at me for a good few seconds, the look on his face anything but pleased.
I may have said too much.
But my God, the burden on my shoulders finally feels a little less heavy.
“I’m sorry,” I mutter. “I’m sorry I can’t be the sister you think I am. I’m not perfect. I date the wrong people. I’m a murderous girl. I—”
Suddenly, he wraps his arms around me and pulls me in for a hug so tight I can’t even breathe.
“Don’t ever apologize,” he says, shaking me to my core.
“What? But I’m a—”
“Killer?” He snorts. “Yeah, it runs in the family.”
“But—”
“No. I am not ashamed of you.” He pulls away and grabs my shoulders. “Do you hear me? You’re my little sister, and I love you. That’s the last time you’ll ever hear me say those words, so remember them.”
I smile and wrap my arms right back around his body. “Thank you. And thank you for coming to save me.”
His hand caresses my back, and it’s the first time in ages that I don’t feel like I want to push him away.
“You’re the reason I’m here today,” he says, his voice soft, unlike his usual self. “If you hadn’t screamed when you saw our mother …” His voice is hampered by his emotions. “I wouldn’t be alive without you.” I shudder against him, and he takes in a big breath. “I’m the only one who should be saying thank you.”
Our hug is so deep and warm it feels like both of us are pouring out all our feelings into each other.
“I was so goddamn worried about you,” he grumbles. “When those fuckers told me you’d been taken by that Bones Brotherhood, I nearly snapped their necks.”
“It’s not their fault,” I say.
“They should’ve kept you safe,” he growls. “I will never allow them to get—”
I push myself away from him. “Don’t. Don’t finish that sentence. Please.”
The muscles in his jaw tense up. “Those bastards took that photo of you.”
“And I let them,” I reply. “Don’t blame them for my own struggles, please. They didn’t share it.”
“Who did?” he grits.
“It was an accident. That’s it.” I shrug, and I grab his hand. “You have to stop fighting them.”
“But they—”
“They love me,” I say.
His eyes burst open and his lips part, but no words spill out.
I’ve never seen him this speechless.
“And you believe them?” he asks.
I nod.
“You’re not being forced to say this?”
I shake my head, smiling.
He rubs his lips together and points at the door. “Those fuckers hurt you.”
“Like you hurt Penelope?”
His lips slam together, and he grinds his teeth, looking irritated as hell that I’d point this out to him.
“But you love her too,” I say, trying to find his eyes while all he’s trying to do is avert his from mine. “Admit it.”